Student Loan Repayment Calculator
See your monthly and annual student loan repayment, how many years until it clears (or gets written off), and an honest verdict on whether overpaying is actually worth it, Plan 1, 2, 4 (Scotland), 5 and Postgraduate Loan.
Estimate only. This calculator gives estimates for information only, not financial advice. Repayment thresholds, interest rates and write-off periods change, always check the current figures at gov.uk before making a financial decision.
Enter your loan details
Your monthly repayment, years to clear and write-off outlook appear here as you type.
All UK student loan plans compared
| Plan | 2025/26 threshold | Rate | Written off after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plan 1 | £26,900 | 9% | 25 years |
| Plan 2 | £29,385 | 9% | 30 years |
| Plan 4 (Scotland) | £33,795 | 9% | 30 years |
| Plan 5 | £25,000 | 9% | 40 years |
| Postgraduate Loan | £21,000 | 6% | 30 years |
Thresholds shown are 2025/26 figures and are reviewed every April, VERIFY the current year's threshold at gov.uk before relying on this for a real decision.
What makes a student loan different
- • It's income-contingent, not a normal debt, nothing is owed if your income drops, and any remaining balance is legally written off at the end of the term.
- • Your student loan does not appear on your credit file and does not affect your credit score or mortgage-affordability credit check, though lenders do ask about the monthly deduction from your income.
- • For most graduates on Plan 2 or Postgraduate, overpaying makes no financial difference, you're more likely to have money written off than to actually pay it all back, so extra payments are usually better used elsewhere (a pension, an emergency fund, or a mortgage deposit).
How student loan repayments work
UK student loans are repaid as a payroll deduction of 9% (6% for Postgraduate loans) of everything you earn above your plan’s threshold, nothing below it. The balance grows with interest, but any amount still outstanding is wiped at the write-off point (25 to 40 years depending on plan). Because most Plan 2 borrowers never clear the balance before write-off, the loan behaves more like a graduate tax than a normal debt, which is why overpaying is usually only worthwhile if you are on track to clear it comfortably early.
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